Aftermath
by Enid Black
Summary: Kurt is working a and a week has passed since the night a Battery Park. The phone rings and ... is something gonna change? Just a small Reaction Fic to 4x04. SPOILERS


His mobile wouldn't stop ringing with the unknown number. A week had passed since the night at Battery Park and Kurt was still so sore inside. He didn't answer, lest it be Blaine or someone for him. He wasn't ready to speak with him, yet.

Suddenly, his landline at work started ringing and he answered.

"Vogue dot com, Kurt Hummel speaking, how may I help you?" He answered with his most professional voice. Hearing who it was on the other side made his stomach crunch.

"Kurt, it's Cooper, Cooper Anderson". A cold shiver ran through Kurt's back: Cooper's usual chipper and annoying voice was laced with worry and tiredness.

"Hi Cooper," he answered "to what do I own the honor of you calling directly at my work?"

"Listen Kurt," Cooper's voice had a pleading tone "I know you asked for space and that Blaine made an horrible mistake but..."

"If you're here to plead the cause of your brother, I fear I'll have to hang your call" Kurt interrupted him, his voice losing levelness.

"It's not that, Kurt. Yesterday Blaine was hit by a car at the school entrance. He hit his head and had to put some stitches, and everything seemed fine but... Kurt, he is not reacting how he should. He's not waking up and keeps calling your name and his voice sounds so broken. I swear I wouldn't be calling you if I weren't so worried about him."

Without him noticing at the beginning, Kurt had started crying. Tears falling at the mere thought of his Blaine (he tried to chastise his brain for that "His" but found that he couldn't) in hospital _for the third time_.

"Cooper I... I don't know what to do..." he answered with a pained voice. "What do you want me to do?" He asked, not exactly to Cooper. A sheet of paper appeared under his eyes, and he dried his tears to read it. It was a flight plan from New York to Columbus for the day at his name.

"Now, Kurt," Isabelle said "you go home, pack a small suitcase, take a cab, go to LaGuardia airport and take this plane. I don't care what happened, I know what Blaine means to you and you'll never forgive yourself if you don't go now." Kurt looked at her in disbelieving. Then, at her prompt, took the sheet with the plan and went back to the phone call.

"In what hospital is he?" he asked Cooper.

"Columbus Memorial"

"I'm coming. I don't know what I'll be able to do, but I'm coming."

"Thanks Kurt"

Kurt did not answer to Cooper and closed he call. Isabelle had disappeared. He went to her office.

"Th... Thank you"

"Don't mention it. You haven't been your usual self and I know that you need to go to him. Even if you didn't want to admit it. Go Kurt. " he nodded, hugged her awkwardly and left.

He arrived to the apartment and packed the smallest acceptable suitcase, not really looking to what he was putting inside. He left a note to Rachel - calling her would have been a strain on his nerves. He called a cab and went to the airport.

Few hours later Kurt Hummel found himself in the waiting room of the hospital. A disheveled and stubbled Cooper went to him as soon as he saw him and hugged Kurt tight, offering and seeking comfort.

"Thanks". He said. Kurt nodded again. He swallowed a couple of times, trying to steady his voice.

"Where is he?" Cooper released him and guided him to a room. He entered and Kurt followed, stopping on the door. Blaine was in the hospital bed. His head was bandaged and curls escaped from there, on the forehead. An IV was put on his left arm, the heart monitor was keeping a steady beeping, slightly accelerated and he was pale. His face was otherwise unmarred, but Kurt could see the dark circles around his eyes. His lips were moving, not really making a sound, and his forehead was furrowed.

"He keeps dreaming , having nightmares I guess, but won't wake up. The exams are not as good as they should be, he has an infection that should already be subsided and instead it's worse and worse. And he should wake up but he won't. He's... Trapped." He finished. Kurt didn't move. His gaze was fixed on Blaine while nodding to Cooper.

Cooper's phone rang and he excused himself to answer it. Their parents were abroad and asking for news. Cooper closed the door behind himself while starting to yell at his parents.

Kurt was alone with Blaine.

Kurt was alone.

He stepped in the room, reaching the bed. Not really coming very close. Tears started to swell in his eyes.

"Blaine..." He chocked.

He stared at him for a while. His heart debating with his pride, trying to convince his mind of their reasons and leaving Kurt thinking and over thinking. He loved him, he still loved him after all, but he could not forget that night. The look on Blaine's face while telling him everything. He _knew _he was sorry but, how was Kurt supposed to trust him again, if only two weeks of distance (and Blaine had been the one to send him to New York in the first place) had put such a strain on them? How could he be in New York living his life while leaving Blaine in Lima, Ohio, of all places? Were they really too young? His pride, besides, screamed at the fact that he had made such a fuss for some texts with Chandler and Blaine... Blaine had _cheated_ on him! His mind was reeling, spinning, and he didn't know if he could stay there, after all. But then, suddenly Blaine's face screwed, a couple of tears escaped his closed lids and a painful moan left his mouth, chapped and pale. Kurt had seen it often when Blaine had nightmares, usually on the Sadie Hawkins' night. But this time the moan sounded just like "Kurt". His instincts overcame heart and pride, choosing for his mind and in two strides he was on the right side of the bed, sitting next to Blaine, caressing his cheek and forehead. Blaine calmed a bit, and leaned into the touch. Kurt sat a bit more comfortably and leaned forward.

"Hush, hush, sweetie," the endearment escaped easily his lips, even if he didn't mean to use it. "I'm here, Blaine, I'm here." Blaine reacted to Kurt's voice rolling on the side and trying to put as much of his body in contact with Kurt's as possible. Kurt sighed, and seeing that he may really do something for his (ex?-) boyfriend, he took off his shoes and lied on the bed on his left side. Blaine, still unconscious, went straight in his arms, putting the left arm slightly on Kurt's right arm, exhaled a big sigh and... calmed down. The heart rate dropped a little and his face stopped furrowing. Kurt lowered his face on the top of Blaine's head, minding the bandages, and left a couple of tears fall.

"You know, in all this horrible situation, I'm only thinking that I missed holding you like this. And that I am sorry I didn't pick your calls, and I always make this stupid thing of blabbering about myself without asking you how your day was, but... Blaine... you have to tell me when I'm messing up, you can't keep bottling and having... this result." he sobbed quietly.

That was the way Cooper find them. Kurt had subsided a little, opting for whispering sweet nothings in Blaine's hair, stroking his arms. The first thing he noticed after their position was that the heart monitor wasn't so syncopate like it was before. Blaine had calmed down and nothing had succeeded to do so in two days. Cooper smiled a bit, seeing the two teens huddled up on the bed. He went slowly on the seat on the right, next to Blaine's IV, and looked at Kurt, who was facing him. Kurt stopped whispering, and lightly put his chin on Blaine's head.

"You are doing a lot" he said to Kurt.

"I don't even know what I'm doing... " Kurt admitted. Blaine moved a bit and Kurt tightened his hold, the younger boy relaxing immediately.

"Trust me, you are doing what he needs." Kurt smiled bitterly.

"I shouldn't be so ready to come for him after what happened... I'm still sore about him sleeping with someone else, I wanted to be angry for longer..." he stopped himself when he noticed Cooper looking at him with a strange gaze "Well, what happened? Didn't he tell you?" he asked, always whispering.

"He told me everything Kurt... and he didn't sleep with someone else." Cooper answered matter-of-factly. Kurt furrowed his eyebrows

"Wait, Cooper. He told me that he was with someone else..."

"Yes but... he told me what happened. They kissed, maybe made out a bit but then... Blaine just _had_ to go away. He told me nothing felt right because it wasn't you. He felt even lonelier. What did he tell you, for Christ's sake?" he asked.

"He just told me that he was with someone else and I ... I assumed. And then he started apologizing and I didn't want him to speak anymore and didn't listen... oh Gosh, I'm doing it again and again and again." Cooper put a hand on Kurt's hand on Blaine's back.

"Come on, no, no, stop it Kurt. Blaine told me that he thought it was as good as he had sex with him, but, really, I was telling him it was stupid because he didn't and he chose not to, but he went there with that intention and he felt so guilty and I'm sure he wanted you to believe that because he thought that's what it was." Kurt stared at Cooper in disbelieving.

"Your brother has a fucking fucked up mind, Cooper. At the beginning it was the bullshit about being a mentor, an example, about me needing a friend and not a boyfriend when all I did was pining on him. And in all this he went kissing Rachel, for crying out loud, and even questioning himself. Then it was Sebastian and his being nice to a new Warbler _who was definitely hitting on him_ and who tried to blind me, succeeding in hurting his eye and _he_ had to have surgery. But I see how he could think that seeing as he regarded my texting with Chandler as cheating. That's actually why I was so angry... oh my gosh... Cooper, I don't even care if he kissed the other guy... If there is someone who knows that only the kisses to the person you love are worth it, that's me..." Cooper laughed a bit.

"I think you'll have a lot to talk about when he wakes up, don't you?"

"Yes, we do. Now... what if he doesn't wake up?" Kurt's voice broke.

"Don't, Kurt, I'm **sure** he'll wake up now. You're with him. He needed you."

"And I, him". Cooper smiled.

"I have to go. Only one person can stay the night and I really think it's better if it is you. I already cleared everything with the nurses and they won't give you a hard time. Please call me if anything changes, but I'll be back here first thing tomorrow morning, ok?"

"Ok. Thanks for calling, Cooper."

"Thanks for coming, Kurt. See you tomorrow."

Cooper went away, closing the door behind him, and Kurt was alone again. Or, almost. Blaine had snuggled deeply in his arms, his head under his chin, his hands on his chest. He had stopped moaning but would mumble from time to time. Kurt smiled a little bit.

A nurse came to check on Blaine more or less half an hour later and smiled at him. She checked the monitor, the temperature and everything.

"He already looks better. He's going to be ok, kid." she kindly told him. Kurt sighed, and when the door closed behind the kind nurse, he finally gave in to his fatigue and fell asleep.

K&BK&BK&BK&BK&BK&B

The first thing that brought him towards consciousness was his body. A soreness that usually was not there. He felt safe, though, even if at the moment he could not understand why. Then, the steady beeping of the heart monitor registered in his ears. And he realized he was in a hospital. Again. He didn't remember immediately why, anyway. At least he had his memory, he checked thinking to his name and school and family: no gaps. He even remembered that night two weeks ago. He faintly noticed that he was warm. Far warmer than he had been in weeks, both prior and after the fateful night in New York. He felt something on his back. But he wasn't completely conscious, so he didn't put his attention on it.

He decided that he could open his eyes, now. His head hurt a bit but he needed to know. He needed to know where he was and who was there.  
There was no harsh light to hurt him as his eyes opened. But a blue gaze with brunette uncombed hair and the stubble-almost-beard of his own brother greeted him. Cooper was smiling a bit, watching him. A warm smile he hadn't seen in a while.

"Welcome back, Squirt," he said when Blaine blinked twice.

"Coop..." he whispered. His throat felt raw.

"Glad to see you remember me." he laughed "Would you imagine if you had amnesia? Oh, what a great idea for a story, though."

Blaine's smile was shy and didn't show fully. But it was ok for Cooper and his smile grew.

"I knew that I had it right to call him". he said. Blaine looked at him puzzled. Then, his body realized. There was a warm body behind him, an arm was draped on his waist and his right hand was laced with the hand at the end of that arm. He could feel a soft puff on his neck, like the one Kurt used to make whenever... his eyes widened and Cooper chuckled. The body behind him stirred and a voice he hadn't really heard for days whispered, just a bit sleepy:

"Blaine?"

Blaine turned on his right side as fast as he could and found himself facing with another pair of blue eyes.

"Kurt?". He choked, hardly believing. Cooper laughed this time.

"Ok, I'll leave, I imagine my presence is not needed now, and I'll go and call those excuses we have for parents." He didn't wait for any answer, he bowed to kiss his brother's forehead (a gesture Blaine hadn't received in years from a member of his family) and exited, closing the door behind him.  
Blaine kept looking at Kurt as if he expected him to vanish in front of his eyes. Kurt's hand reached to cup his cheek.  
"Oh, Blaine..." he said. The younger turned completely and buried himself into the older's arms. A strangled sob was choked by rapid tears. "No, Blaine, don't cry now, please..." he pleaded.  
"You're here. I cheated on you and you came here anyway, just because my brother called you. You're here and you're holding me and you hugged me while sleeping and now I don't want to let you go anymore, but I have to because I was an idiot and cheated and..." Kurt silenced him putting two fingers on his mouth.  
"Stop it, Blaine. First things first, thank Gaga Cooper called me. Second thing, we'll have to discuss your definition of cheating because I think yours needs to be upgraded. And thirdly... I love you." he told him. He had risked losing him, he would never let another day go without telling him so. Blaine's eyes watered again.

"I love you too" he answered in a small voice, leaving a tiny kiss on Kurt's fingers. Kurt smiled. Then he arranged Blaine so that the boy lied on his stomach, his head on Kurt's chest without disturbing the IV. He hugged him and made sure they could look at each other in the eyes.

"Now listen to me very carefully, Blaine Anderson, ok?" Blaine nodded, looking at Kurt still in awe. "I am so so sorry I neglected you. My life has been hectic but I should always make sure to make room for you. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, I'm sorry I didn't tell you enough "I love yous". I love you, by the way, so, so much. I'm sorry you felt alone." Blaine looked at him disbelieving. "But..." and Blaine thought that that was the moment when the other shoe would drop "you cannot hold things from me, my love. You cannot bottle everything up until it's too much. If I'm wrong, I need you to tell me so, I need you to tell me how you feel, to interrupt me if I start ranting. I even need you to understand that during working hours I may be unable to speak with you for a long time, but I'll make sure from now on to end the call with I love you none the less. I love you, Blaine, so much it hurts. And this week hurt, not being able to call you, even trying to avoid to think to you. And you hurt me too.". Blaine lowered his face until he was nuzzling Kurt's chest, tears silently falling from both their eyes.

"I'm so sorry Kurt... I felt alone, and abandoned and I realized I didn't have much friends at McKinley and... I don't know... I just wanted to... feel something. I'm so sorry I cheated... " he whispered.

"Blaine." Kurt said, lifting his face and looking into those hazel eyes. "Did you actually sleep with him?" Blaine looked at him helplessly.

"It's not... it's not important. I had the intention, this is what counts." Kurt shook his head.

"No, Blaine. What's important are the actions. Cooper told me that you went away..."

"Yes, but... I should not have gone at all." he said. Kurt nodded.

"It may be but, you chose to back away. And I don't consider it cheating. Ok, you kissed another guy..."

"...and it wasn't nearly as good as kissing you" Blaine added "It was awful because it wasn't you.". Kurt smiled and kissed him hard. Blaine choked a laugh in the kiss and smiled against Kurt's lips. The countertenor detached slightly from Blaine and looked at him fondly

"That's my Blaine." he said. Blaine looked at him questioningly. "My Blaine smiles." he added. Blaine deflated, smiled again and his head went down, bashful. Kurt hugged him close and kept him there for a while.

They were interrupted by Cooper knocking. They separated and Kurt sat on the edge, next to Blaine who got back lying on the bed. Cooper entered and flashed them a smile, seeing their hands connected and the happier expressions of the two boys.

"Everything's all right?" he asked. Blaine blushed.

"It will be." he said, looking at Kurt, who nodded.

"Ok, I talked with the doctor, he'll have to check on you, but since you woke up it's probable that I'll be able to bring you home in the evening. Kurt, I spoke with your father..." Kurt looked at him alarmed "don't worry, everything's ok, he just asked you to call him and maybe go and see them if you can?"

"When do you have to go back to New York?" Blaine asked, slightly dreading the answer.

"It's Friday. I must be at work on Monday I think. I'll have to book a flight for Sunday evening." Blaine nodded, then his eyebrows furrowed.

"How did you manage to come here so quickly and without telling your parents?" he asked. Kurt looked at him.

"You may not believe me, but Isabelle gave me the flight ticket on my name."

"Is Isabelle your boss?" Cooper asked. Kurt nodded "Oh, yes, she's very nice!" Kurt looked at him puzzled. It was Cooper's prerogative making people puzzled that day, it seemed.

"Sorry, Coop, how do you know Isabelle?"

"I called your office and she answered first, and she wanted me to tell her why I was calling because, and I quote, _Kurt is not in a state to handle more bullshit_, so I told her about the accident and she sent the call to your phone." Kurt looked at him in disbelieving. He would have to make a big _thank you_gift to Isabelle as soon as he was back in NY.

"Accident? What accident?" Blaine asked. Both Cooper and Kurt looked at him.

"Do you mean that you don't remember the reason why you're in a hospital?" Cooper asked. Blaine tried to -think.

"The last thing I remember is saying to Tina that I was just going home and starting to cross the street..."

"Uh, you lost just the event then. You started to cross the street and an asshole ran on the crossing at high speed, hitting you, luckily just slightly, but in the fall you hit your head and that's why you're here. You lost consciousness and bled a bit, the doctors had to put 4 or 5 stitches on your head, Squirt...".

"Stop calling me that".

"Never, Squirt". Cooper grinned and Blaine grinned back, while Kurt chuckled and hugged him from the side, his arms around Blaine's shoulders, and kissed his temple tenderly. They would need to talk thoroughly before he left, they would be hurting for a while still but eventually... it would just make them stronger. And in few months it would be over and they would be together in New York finally, with a new set of problems to face. Together.

**Author's note**

****Ok, first thing that I publish and I already need to make an AN XD.

WHERE is the only blaming Kurt? I am really convinced that if you're going to make something ok again, both parts should recognize their wrongs... Kurt does that: he admits his own mistakes AND proceed to point out to Blaine his own mistakes O.o... please, read that entirely, not only partially.

I really spent a lot of time on the dialogue, to make sure not to do any character bashing, because I can assure you I love KURT dearly, maybe even more than Blaine (and I love Blaine A LOT)... So I really feel like the story hasn't been read at all.

I'll even copy here my comment of explanation:

My point is that BOTH of them made a huge mistake (or more likely, a series of mistakes).

I did not depict the scene when they talk it through and I don't think I will. I'll quote a part of my answer to Anacia and say:

"What I was trying to point out is that they love each other too much (Blaine would not wake up without Kurt there, and Kurt could not stay away from him in danger) not to at least TRY to overcome the mess they both created."

If you don't agree with me, that's ok, it's a free world. I just feel that, Anons, you could have addressed me personally, even if through a nickname, it would be fair to speak with me off-anon to give me the same courtesy.

The point is not "but he kissed another".  
My point on that part is essentially, and I said it very clear in Cooper's words "Blaine just had to go away. He told me nothing felt right because it wasn't you. He felt even lonelier."

Everyone makes mistakes in a relationship. Both of them did. Do you remember the Kurt-Bashing after DWS? You're doing the same here and I don't feel like it's right. They both made mistakes. But, in my headcanon, they just love each other too much to GIVE UP so early.

Kurt went to the hospital even thinking that Blaine had thoroughly cheated on him. He was already in the process of forgiving him as he arrived there, as he decided to take Isabelle's offer to take the plane to Ohio. Because he LOVES Blaine, and he LOVES HIM WITH ALL HIMSELF, and if he could forgive Finn for the F word, I can't see why this should stop them.

What I'm worried about is: will Blaine be able to forgive himself? I don't know if you noticed but Blaine is not the cocky Warbler-leader he was in Season 2. He is a young boy who ended in hospital due to a beating for being gay, who has not a present family or close friends. Kurt could grow from the guy who tried to be straight to the Fashionista in New York EVEN BECAUSE he had a support system. Blaine's support system is Kurt. And they need to talk about it, Blaine needs to address the problem, but if there is no one there to help him (like Kurt was helped, even if in strange ways sometimes) who will?

And Blaine's cheating DOES derive partially from Kurt's neglecting him, but it derives EVEN MORE from his own insecurities. That's the point. It's a hard thing to overcome growing up, but trust a 28 year-old woman: love is worth it, even if sometimes it hurts like a B...t... the same people that can bring you so high, can even bring you so low, and you have to find a balance in it.

Ok, I hope it was enough to make my point clear. And I'd like that those who didn't like it could just point out where their interpretation differs from mine, so I know why and how I didn't make myself clear.

Thanks again! :)


End file.
